Skip to content

Navy's New Year's bowl eligibility could be threatened by Army game date

Danny Wild / USA TODAY Sports

With Navy joining the American Athletic Conference in the fall, the date of the Midshipmen's annual game against Army may prove problematic for potential New Year's Six bowls, according to ESPN's Brett McMurphy

The College Football Playoff management committee is concerned that if Navy is ranked high enough to earn a New Year's Six bowl bid, and then loses to Army the next week, the loss would not affect the Midshipmen's final ranking. This would therefore affect the ranking of other teams that would have earned a bowl bid if the loss had counted.

Bill Hancock, College Football Playoff executive director, said the current policy states, "the rankings compiled by the committee on selection day (Sunday, Dec. 6, 2015) will be the final version for purposes of identifying the teams in the playoff."

Hancock told McMurphy that, should the committee make any changes involving the playoff, a vote will not be held. 

"It's a consensus," Hancock said. "We agree as a group."

According to a Navy spokesman, the contract Navy and Army have with CBS requires the annual game to be played on the second Saturday each December. The contract still has four years remaining.  

Navy athletic director Chet Gladchuk told McMurphy that the game being moved is not under consideration.

"It needs to be a stand-alone game," said Gladchuk. "That game has become a focal point for America. It's just a wonderful event, an opportunity to showcase what America is all about.

"I'm hopeful [the committee] will find a solution and I'm confident they will."

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox